Members of the course I attended at Ulswater Outward Bound School 1960 and the badge of the Outward Bound Mountain School Ullswater.

The following photos were provided by my friend Ron Gell who stumbled across my site and who I have not met since we were on the course together. I also include extracts from emails we exchanged which highlight what a life changing experience the month at Ullswater was for us both.

Unfortunately I have lost your email address and if you see this please email me.

Hi Ron,
I was looking up on how the old school was doing and there was your name, I don't suppose you can remember me Ron Gell that's me 4th from the right the left front row with glasses on.It seems like only yesterday taking those "warm dips"in the lake early in the mourning then running back to clean out the room.Like you I have now retired and often visit the lakes,a few years ago I went back to the school and it felt as if all Scott patrol would suddenly appear.

Wonder where they all are now? I will see if I can find a couple of photos that are gathering dust somewhere and send them you if you like.

Anyway Ron it was so good to hear about you again and brought back lots of happy,sometimes very wet memories.

It was good to hear from you after all these years and yes I do remember you. I have only been back to the lakes a few times since then but I did call in at the school once and was amazed at the height of the conifer trees we planted.

Was it you who helped me one W/E to retrieve our Australian patrol instructors (Mr Peterkin's?) pen I let slip down a knot hole of an oak tree alongside the road down by the lake during some timed physical tests?

I have attached a couple of scans from my patrol log book which includes your signature. Hope these bring back more happy memories when we were "striving" together and I know we didn't "yield".

Yes I would be interested in seeing any photos you have of our course or ref. to our time at Ullswater OBMS.

Thank you so much for the e.mail it really took me back ,I remember all the names but I had to think whose faces they belonged to. Old age and feeble mind must be setting in,and yes it was me helping you to retrieve the pen Mr Peterkins if my memory serves me right. And if you remember I lost my comb trying to ease it out ,something I no longer have any use for.
The photos are of me and John at Grange when we went canoeing and the photo is taken next to a wall where we slept after the instructor took our tents off us, remember Pat Ryan "Paddy" threw all the lifejackets in to a hole
and slept on them - he had the right idea.The one where you are all sitting together was taken on Gowbarrow hill one Sunday mourning ,day off. The other two were taken on the way to Grange, I think that is Borrowdale in the back
ground. Remember the canoes? I think they came from cockleshell heroes,in fact all the kit was ex army. And that "rucksack"a canvas bag tied onto a wooden frame,and one thing that still puzzles me why did they issue us with dried
rice? I mean it takes over a hour to cook it in the oven never mind a small petrol stove. Do you still think you could get over that wooden wall? I think when they timed our patrol they needed a calendar not a stop watch. Anyway Ron I could go on forever with memories of my time at the OBMS but one things for sure I wouldn't trade that month for anything. And it left me with a lasting love the mountains and open air that is just as strong now as it was then.

Please keep in touch Ron,and have you had any contact with anyone else?
Take care Ron G

Travelling in a Land Rover with "Womens Overland Himalayan Expedition" stencilled on the side.

Waiting under the class roofed "stable area" in the pouring rain on the first morning waiting to run down to the lake, jumping too far off the end of the landing stage and not being able to breath until I was back on the beach. How much steam can come off of about 80 naked bodies in cold air and wondering what the two lumps were on the top of my head ;-).

The guy at Eskdale OBMS that died of exposure when we were out on an expedition.

The smell of wet clothes, stinking socks, ex-army anoraks, a wooden framed ruck-sack that weighed 10 pounds? empty.

The pictures of Mallory and other climbers on the walls of the dining room.

How cold the matrons hand was when she said cough! and why I had to do it twice!!

How low the wall seemed then when it would be an impossible obstacle now.

The guy from Rhodesia that by the end of the course had doubled his pull-ups to two.

What happened if you fell over backwards with those home made concrete dumbells across the back of your neck.

The Outward Bound Trust mission - to unlock the potential of young people through discovery and adventure in the wild